Rickets (English disease) - symptoms, causes, therapies

Rickets and osteomalacia

In rickets, also called English disease, the mineralization of the child's bone skeleton, due to a vitamin D deficiency, disturbed. If this deficiency occurs in adulthood, such is referred to as osteomalacia. Although both diseases are based on the same cause, their symptoms and consequences are different. This article primarily explains the symptoms, causes, therapies and naturopathy of rickets. Here is a short summary:

• terminology: If the disease occurs in childhood, it is called rickets. In adults, the disease is called osteomalacia.
• definition: Rickets is a disease in which a lack of vitamin D availability impairs bone formation and bone strength. As a result, demineralization takes place and the bones become soft.
• symptoms: Changes in the bones, such as the rachitic rosary, bell-thorax, scoliosis or O-legs may indicate rickets. Common ailments such as restlessness, agony, cramps and sleep disturbances are also possible signs.
• causes: Rickets can be the result of prolonged vitamin D deficiency. This deficiency is rarely a consequence of wrong nutrition. Often diseases or inflammations of the intestine, the liver or the kidneys are the triggers. Also celiac disease (gluten allergy), cystic fibrosis or certain drugs can cause rickets.
• therapy: Vitamin D supplements, causative treatment of the underlying disease, orthopedic treatments and regular outdoor stays are used as treatment options.

contents

• Rickets and osteomalacia
• Symptoms of rickets
• Causes of rickets
• How does the body get vitamin D??
• Vitamin D in foods
• diagnostics
• Treatment of rickets
• Homeopathy in rickets
• Sun as medicine
• About vitamin D.
• Historical review of rickets

Symptoms of rickets

The lack of vitamin D is manifested by rickets in the children mostly in the first two years of life. The growth of the skeleton is disturbed. A specific symptom is the rachitic rosary. This is a clearly visible distension of the bone-cartilage border in the area of ​​the ribcage that resembles a rosary. It is caused by the lack of vitamin D, whereby the non-calcified overproduction of bone substance becomes visible.

Rickets can result in bone deformation. (Image: Artemida-psy / fotolia.com)

Glockenthorax, scoliosis, O-legs

Another symptom is the so-called Glockenthorax. This is a chest that is set wide in the lower part, which is associated with a lack of abdominal muscles, which is called frog abdomen in children with rickets. Deformations on the spine (such as scoliosis) and on the lower limbs, in the form of O-legs, also belong to the clinical picture of rickets.

Other symptoms

The general symptoms of rickets include:

• unrest,
• jumpiness,
• Hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating),
• sleep disorders,
• cramps,
• disturbed tooth breakage,
• itchy rash.

Causes of rickets

Rickets is the result of the lack of vitamin D availability. In contrast to earlier, today causes such as lack of light or insufficient nutrition are only very rarely responsible for rickets, especially due to the comprehensive vitamin D prophylaxis in infants in the first year of life. However, if infants are kept too far away from the sun, or if there are diseases in which the uptake of the vitamin from the intestine is disturbed, rickets can also develop.

Diseases that can cause rickets

Examples include ulcerative colitis (inflammatory bowel disease), celiac disease (gluten-induced enteropathy in children) and chronic inflammation of the colon. Kidney and liver diseases can also be responsible. Children who need to take certain antiepileptic medicines are also at risk because these medicines can affect vitamin D synthesis in the liver.

How does the body get vitamin D??

The so-called calciferols, a group of vitamin D substances, actually belong not to the vitamins but to the hormones. The vitamin D does not have to be supplied to the body, but can be made from precursors themselves. These are found in the skin and are derived from cholesterol. A certain amount of sunlight is required to produce the vitamin D hormone, although it can also be absorbed through the digestive tract through the consumption of liver, egg yolk, fish and milk. The quantities that can be absorbed are not sufficient for the demand.

Sunbathing: Probably the most popular way to fill up with Vitamin D. (Image: reichdernatur / fotolia.com)

Without vitamin D, bone strength suffers

Intestinal calcium absorption is promoted by vitamin D, regulates calcium and phosphate balance, and ensures that calcium and phosphate are incorporated into the bones. If this is lacking, demineralization occurs and the bones soften, as is the case with rickets. The result is also in adults a bone softening, which is called not rickets but osteomalacia.

Vitamin D2 and D3

The most important vitamin D compounds are vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol), which is found in plants, and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), which is of animal origin. A healthy body is not dependent on the supply of these substances through the diet. Daily sunlight on face and hands provides eighty to ninety percent of vitamin D to the body.

Ten minutes of sun every day

Ten minutes of intensive sunshine are enough every day. However, individuals who rarely or never go outside may need vitamin D supplements.

Vitamin D in foods

The intake of vitamin D via food is far from sufficient. Without UVB radiation, the body can not produce enough vitamin D. Healthy people should not take vitamin D supplements because many vitamin D pills pose health hazards. Vitamin D is a natural component of the following foods:

• Fat fish such as mackerel or eel,
• cod liver oil,
• egg yolk,
• Dairy products,
• dandelion,
• watercress,
• nettles.

For example, vitamin D is found in fatty fish (salmon, herring, mackerel, eel, etc.), eggs, butter and cheese. (Image: bit24 / fotolia.com)

diagnostics

To diagnose rickets, the blood is first examined. Vitamin D3 is below the norm and alkaline phosphatase, an enzyme involved in bone metabolism, is elevated in rickets. Calcium and phosphate in the blood are pathologically altered. On the radiograph, this disease can be detected quite early by blurred bone structures and widened ends of the forearm bones.

Treatment of rickets

The treatment depends on the cause. In most cases, substitution with vitamin D takes first place, so that the mineralization of the bones can normalize. If vitamin D deficiency is caused by diseases in the intestine, liver or kidney, these are the cause of the disease. Regular stay in the sun is recommended.

Vitamin D prophylaxis

Infants usually receive appropriate vitamin D prophylaxis from the second week of life for at least one year, and definitely the first 2 weeks of life. In infancy, the supply of vitamin D is ensured by a two-hour stay outdoors per week in which the face, arms and hands are exposed to the sun. But the right nutrition is important, so that the body is sufficiently supplied. If bony bends have already been caused by rickets, orthopedic treatment becomes necessary.

Homeopathy in rickets

In addition to the substitution with vitamin D, a healthy diet and possible treatment of the underlying disease, classical homeopathy can support the healing process. Experienced therapists provide the necessary support in selecting the appropriate remedies. The following means are often used:

• Calcium carbonicum: An agent that is given to fair-skinned, mostly overweight children.
• Calcium phosphoricum: Given to dark-haired, slender, fast-growing children.
• phosphorus: Used with slender, tall and very frightened people.
• Silica: Used in children who are tender, sensitive, shy, indulgent, undecided or very sensitive to cold.

Without sun, the important vitamin D can not be formed in the body. (Image: fotoliaxrender / fotolia.com)

Sun as medicine

For years it was argued massively against the stay in the sun. Many people are therefore not aware of the benefits of sunlight. Everyone knows that excessive sunbathing is harmful to health and can lead to skin cancer. However, the complete avoidance of the sun is also not healthy. So not only the soul needs the soothing light of the sun, but above all the body needs the UVB rays, so that the vital vitamin D can be produced. The sun is the only free remedy to prevent rickets and other vitamin D deficiency diseases.

About vitamin D.

The term vitamin is not quite correct in this context, because the body can produce this substance itself largely and is not dependent on food intake. Vitamin D, though always so called, is more like a hormone in the body and is actually made up of several compounds. As such, this substance has an effect only when it is converted to its biologically active form. This process takes place in several steps in the skin, liver and kidneys.

Sunlight as activator

Important for the formation of vitamin D are the UVB rays that strike the skin. From a provitamin formed in the liver from cholesterol the previtamin D3 is produced by sunlight. The hepatic cells develop into colecalciferol D3. The kidney then makes the biologically active form calcitriol, which is released into the blood.

bone strength

Above all, the process described stimulates the absorption of calcium from the colon and regulates the calcium metabolism of the bones, which is necessary for bone strength. Research has shown that vitamin D can also be produced in other organs and tissues of the body, but is involved exclusively in various local cell functions. This relatively new knowledge makes it clear that vitamin D deficiency can do far more than just affect bone metabolism.

The majority of vitamin D is produced by the body itself. Only ten to twenty percent are absorbed through the diet. (Image: Zerbor / fotolia.com)

Vitamin D is mostly produced by the body

The majority of the necessary vitamin D is produced by the body itself through the sun's rays, the rest, about ten to twenty percent, must be supplied through the food. Previously, one knew only fatty fish and especially cod liver oil as a vitamin D donor, so as to counteract rickets. However, other foods are quite suitable.

Historical review of rickets

Rickets was widespread, especially in the 19th century. The age of industrialization meant that children no longer played on meadows and in the fresh air, but rather on the street, in narrow, dark streets, where hardly a ray of sun could penetrate and the air was polluted by exhaust fumes. This smog literally covered the cities. At the time, most children also suffered from malnutrition. The combination of both led to the emergence of rickets and their widespread distribution. (sw, vb; updated April 17, 2018)
Specialist supervision: Barbara Schindewolf-Lensch (doctor)